Divorce Cakes Bring a Dose of Sweetness to the Bittersweet

Late Monday evening, the former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and his wife
of 25 years, Maria Shriver, announced that they were separating. "After a
great deal of thought, reflection, discussion, and prayer, we came to this
decision together," the couple said in a statement.

The end of a marriage can be painful, liberating, or a
little bit of both. To offer some comfort in a transition that is often
bittersweet, bakeries on both sides of the pond are serving up a taste of
unadulterated sweetness by way of divorce cakes. These decadent, often
humorous, desserts can help recipients find some funny and a lot of yummy in dark times.

"Some
people might consider it crass and insensitive while others may view it as a
fitting end to a period in their lives - as well as a chance to have a good
party," Fay Millar, owner of Pink Rose Cakes in Brighton, England told the Daily Mail. I like to introduce humour rather than something too sober or
vindictive so I use lots of figurines interacting with each other. Divorce can be a horrible thing
but I would like to think comical divorce cakes can help lighten the mood a
little." Donna Maynard of Donna's Dream Cakes and Creations in Summerville, FL, recently told the Orlando Sentinel that her divorce cakes often feature messages like "Thank God I'm Free" or a broken heart.

Here's a taste of the divorce cake market around the country
and abroad:

Posted by Katie Robbins

She has written for Saveur, Psychology Today, BlackBook, theatlantic.com, and LA Weekly's blog, Squid Ink, among other publications. Although her writing is generally of a culinary persuasion, she has covered issues such as the New Orleans school system, America's health insurance crisis, and the Secret Service for PBS NewsHour, ABC News, and the National Geographic Channel.
While hard-pressed to pick an actual favorite, some foods that stand out in her memory as exemplary are rabbit escabeche in Ushuaia, Argentina; Russ and Daughters' white fish salad in New York City; kua kling phat tha lung (dry beef curry) in Los Angeles; and mustard based barbecue in Columbia, SC. Read More

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